


Someday

by Circus_Dragon



Category: Star Stable
Genre: Angst, Character Death, F/M, Origin Story
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-19
Updated: 2020-04-19
Packaged: 2021-03-02 03:15:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,755
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23728171
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Circus_Dragon/pseuds/Circus_Dragon
Summary: Ydris is a young boy still living in Pandoria when he meets a human girl, lost in his realm by accident. Their friendship will begin his journey to becoming the mysterious circus magician we know in Jorvik today. This is a Ydris origin story fic.
Relationships: Ydris (Star Stable)/Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 17





	1. Chapter 1

A young dark-haired boy had been sent by his mother to get water from the well on the far side of the village. A black filly, her lightning pattern glowing with purple light, trotted circles around him as he walked through the hazy pink jungle. Ydris had walked this way many times before, and never thought much of it. Yet on this particular day, as he walked past a small clearing, he spotted something unusual. 

The first thing he noticed were her hazel eyes, bright and curious of the world around her. They were innocent, like a child, and she stared up at him in amazement when she noticed his presence. All he could do was stare back, for he has never seen someone like her before. She was beautiful, radiant, beyond any girl he’d met on Pandoria for certain. 

“Who are you?” he asked in the Pandorian’s native tongue. 

She took a step back, clearly unsure of him. “I’m sorry, I don’t understand,” she replied, in a strange language. His eyes widened, she definitely wasn’t from Pandoria. He was looking at a mortal, a human girl. He’d never seen one before, only heard stories from the elders. She was, well, she wasn’t quite what he’d expected. 

She was a bit smaller than he thought a human was supposed to be. Her pale skin seemed to glow like the flora around her; thick dark hair falling over her shoulders in delicate curls. Her smile, timid yet sincere, was like a ray of sunshine. She was so different from the darkness that had settled over most Pandorians. Despite her uncertainty, she kept her chin high as she addressed him. “Do you understand me?” she asked him, those striking hazel eyes gazing right into his soul. Though he’d never heard these words before, somehow, he did understand her, and he nodded. 

“You are a stranger,” Ydris stated, taking a tentative step forward. She matched him step for step, her wide eyes never leaving him. This mortal didn’t seem very afraid of him, and she nodded back at him in response. How did she understand? They were strangers, from two different worlds, speaking two different tongues. Magic was a strange thing, and perhaps it was allowing them to speak despite who they were. 

“I didn’t think I would actually get here. My friend told me about the portals, in the swamp. I didn’t believe her but I saw one today, and I just wanted to peek. It sent me here,” the girl explained, the words sounded so strange yet her voice was melodic, enchanting to his ears. 

He turned to see the rift on the far side of the garden, hiding in a small cavern. “You must be careful not to stay too long; Pandoria does not have good effects on humans.” 

She turned from him, looking up at the sky to watch the manta rays glide over their heads, nearly close enough to touch. She had never seen anything like them before, he could tell. Everything about Pandoria had captured her imagination; she probably thought she was dreaming. 

The girl glanced at him shyly, “Perhaps a little time to look around wouldn’t hurt? You live here don’t you? Can you show me a little part of your world?” 

Ydris felt the girl’s smile tug at his heart. How could he say no? He nodded to her, holding out his free hand, “Come on then, I have to fetch water. I’ll take you to the spring and back, then you should go. Is that fair?” 

“Oh yes!” she cheered excitedly, squeezing his hand, “Thank you kind stranger! What is your name?” 

He felt himself blushing at her enthusiasm, “Ah, um, my name is Ydris. And you?” 

She sighed, “I don’t really like my name, it’s too plain. Especially after hearing your name, Ydris! How unique! You should pick a new name for me, something fantastical, like this place!”

The Pandorian couldn’t hold back a chuckle, “I’ve never had someone ask me to name them before, beside Zee of course. I don’t think I could do you justice. I’m sure your real name isn’t so bad.” His expression was open with her, and the more they walked, the more she seemed to trust him. 

“Elaina, that’s my name,” she finally confessed.

Ydris smiled, “That’s a beautiful name, and you shouldn’t be so ashamed. I’ve certainly never heard a name like that before. Look here, this is the spring where my village gets its water. It is one of the few water sources not contaminated in Pandoria.” 

“Contaminated? What’s happened to the water?” the girl asked, looking genuinely concerned as they arrived at the edge of the pool. 

It had just become a normal part of life, but it warmed his heart to see a mortal actually care for his plight. “Garnok, when his soul was banished to Pandoria his dark forces took many of our resources and destroyed them. The water has become poison; even a sip from the wrong spring could kill a Pandorian.” 

For the first time, the girl frowned at him. “That’s terrible! Where I’m from, he’s just a story to frighten little kids. If he is real, someone should stop this Garnok,” she declared passionately. Ydris hushed her quickly, freezing for just a moment and listening to make sure, they were truly alone. 

“Be careful, my new friend. If you mention his name, he may sense your presence here. He is far from being a story. He would kill us both, you for being a human and I just for standing next to you. Come, you have stayed long enough. You must return to Earth before you become ill.” 

Quickly he filled his bucket with water, pushing her back in the direction they’d come. As they walked hurriedly back down the path, she paused to gaze over at the floating scenery in fascination. “You live in a beautiful place Ydris; I think it’s a place worth keeping safe. What do you think?” 

Ydris felt a weight on his shoulders to even think about his current situation. “Pandoria has lost its hope, it seems. You’re the first one I’ve heard in my life ever ask for change out loud. You are either very brave or very stupid.” 

“Or too naïve to know what sort of danger I’m in,” she added, with a knowing look in her eye. He could hardly believe it; he’d been told humans were stupid. This girl had only just arrived, and already it seemed she knew too much. 

Suddenly they were standing in front of the portal; he could feel its magic waning as the sun began to set in the Earthly realm. “It was nice to meet you, Ydris,” the girl said. For the first time since arriving, there was sadness in her expression. He felt a pang in his heart to see it, and he instantly wondered why he suddenly felt sad too? 

Before she could disappear, he reached out and grabbed her hand, “Will you meet me here again?” he asked suddenly. The words had rushed out of him, his heart crying out what his mind was afraid to consider. They were strangers, from distant places, surely they were not meant to see each other again after this brief, accidental encounter. 

The girl was clearly startled by his sudden question, yet she smiled at him. “How do you know this portal will appear again?” 

“I have read the stories about the rifts between our worlds. From your side, it is easy to predict when it will open again. The portal you found today shall be there again in the same place a week from today. Yet here in Pandoria, there is no time. I won’t know when you’ll next arrive. I hope it is not too long, but even if it is, I will come every day and wait for you here. Yet I must know, before I put the time into waiting, will you come?” 

She looked down at his hand, still holding hers. “You said if I stay too long, the energy here could hurt me,” she said, a hint of uncertainty in her voice. 

He squeezed her hand gently, hoping she could trust him. He reached down and tipped her face up to him, so he could gaze into those hazel eyes. Each time he glimpsed them, it felt as though Zee were electrocuting him. His heart was racing, pounding against his ribcage and begging to be freed, like a trapped dove. Ydris had never felt this way before, not once in his entire life. 

“I am Pandorian; I can draw the energy away from you. As long as you and I are together, and your visits are not too long, I can protect you. Do you trust me?” 

Elaina stared back at him, and then nodded slowly, “I trust you Ydris; I’ll come back in a week’s time. I hope I don’t keep you waiting too long.” 

He lifted her hand to his lips, kissing her knuckles lightly, “Until we meet again, Elaina.” 

With a final radiant smile, she disappeared into the portal. Only a few moments later, it faded into the air and vanished. Ydris stood there, short of breath, unable to comprehend how he felt. He’d only just met this lost human a few moments ago, and yet, he already felt a connection. He couldn’t wait until she appeared again. 

Every day he waited, patiently, his heart racing every time he went to fetch the water. His family seemed suspicious how often he now volunteered; he’d always hated hauling that heavy wet bucket. Zee seemed excited too, always accompanying him to the spring and back. She would trot around the perimeter of each part of the jungle they walked, looking for the portal, and the girl. Each time he slept, all he dreamt of was her, and those eyes that had pierced straight through him. 

After what felt like a lifetime, Elaina finally returned. Ydris was there to meet her, and he quickly pulled her deep into the jungle to explore. He knew it was risky, allowing this mortal to walk around Pandoria. Garnok could be alerted to her presence at any time, and he would no longer be able to protect her if that monster found her. Yet, the thrill of hiding was a little exhilarating. 

This time the girl spoke more of her own home on Earth, of horses and the foggy swamp where she’d found the portal to his world. They sat in the grass beneath some trees a few feet from the edge of an island, watching the manta rays fly past among fluffy pink clouds.

“There’s an island just adjacent to the barn, called South Hoof,” the girl told him animatedly, running her fingers through the pink grass in wonder. “They say there are wild ponies there. Sometimes, in the very early morning if you look on the tops of the cliffs, you can spot one. I want to visit and see them closer, perhaps I could tame one!” 

“Tame a wild pony? That sounds a difficult task, especially if the pony is anything like Zee,” Ydris had replied teasingly. The black mare snorted at him before playfully shaking her head and trotting away into the nearby trees. 

She held out a handful of grass to Zee, who happily came to nibble it from her open palm. “You just have to be patient; horses aren’t so hard to understand if you only listen. I think I could tame a pony, or maybe even a Pandorian horse someday,” she replied with a gentle smile. She rubbed Zee’s forehead affectionately, “The horses here are especially beautiful. I’ve never seen a horse with purple lightning for markings before! I would love to have one just like yours someday.” 

The girl had so much hope and joy in her heart. Ydris had never met someone like her. A Pandorian horse would love a companion like her, if only she could stay. As he listened to her, he felt his own burdens lighten for just a little while. If he could only be as happy as this girl, for just a day, he would never ask for anything ever again. Even if he had to dig tunnels for the rest of his life in one of Garnok’s prisons, he didn’t care. For he would be a Pandorian who once had a wonderful day, and that was more than any Pandorian, free or otherwise, hoped for anymore. 

Yet to his great joy, when she departed that day, she promised to return. So began the cycle, she came nearly every week, and Ydris was always waiting for her. The weeks turned to months, then to years. Ydris wouldn’t have known, due to the lack of time in Pandoria, except for how much his ladies changed right before his eyes. 

Zee grew larger and larger, her dark mane falling over her neck in thick curtains. Her Pandorian energy became stronger, her purple markings pulsing with it. With experience, she became sensitive to the rift’s energy, and could tell Ydris when it would next appear despite their inability to tell the time on Earth. 

As for his dear Elaina, she’d been just a child when he’d met her, like himself. Somehow, she’d grown up too, just like Zee. She too became clever in her own way, her greatest skill being able to win games of hide and seek, even when Ydris tried using his magic to cheat. 

When Elaina arrived through the portal each time, they would quickly run into the jungle together for cover. Once in a safe place, they would explore Pandoria and do whatever they felt like that day. Sometimes they would have a picnic together, or lay beneath a tree to watch the manta rays fly over them. Zee always stayed nearby, she enjoyed the girl’s presence as much as Ydris. Though against Pandorian tradition, Zee even granted the girl permission to sit upon her back once, and canter around the small glen they were hiding in that day.

In return for such wonderful adventures, Elaina brought Ydris many gifts from her home. Flowers, seashells, and sweets mostly, but his favorite was the five-leafed clover. “Most people only find the four-leafed ones, these are especially rare. They say some people can’t even see them,” she had told him the first time she presented him with one. 

“Such a strange little thing, it has a magical signature all its own. I can feel it when I hold it. I bet someone could perform powerful magic with this clover,” he told her. She stared at it with a new appreciation as he handed it back to her. “Perhaps even a mortal could perform magic with that clover,” he added after a few moments of silence. 

Her hazel eyes widened, “Really? You think I could perform magic like you?”

He laughed, “Of course! I can teach you, anything you like.” 

She became thoughtful for a moment, “A portal for you to come to Earth through, whenever you want so we don’t have to wait,” she finally declared. 

His brow furrowed, “Sweetling I would come to Earth, for you. Yet creating a portal requires powerful magic. I’m not sure even I could create one on my own. I would need a keystone, or something of equal magical power.” 

Elaina held out the clover, “This, Ydris. This could be the key, right? You said it has magical energy. It’s a key to Earth.” 

Ydris smiled affectionately at her, before bowing his head and falling more solemn. He struggled to meet her gaze for a moment, but forced himself to raise his head and address her properly. “I am a good magician, but not the best in Pandoria. That is who you’d need to sustain a portal. It is a good thought, but perhaps we should learn something a little simpler.”

That would be the end of talks about a portal. Instead, Ydris focused on teaching her about channeling the magic within her. Each time she visited, he told her a little more. There was not much magic in the mortal, she was human after all in a foreign realm. He was able to teach her a parlor trick or two, but nothing a Pandorian would consider real magic. 

It didn’t stop her. She studied the tomes he leant her, Ydris helping to translate the strange inscriptions written by his people during her visits. With Elaina’s encouragement, the young Pandorian began to attempt the spells they learned about together. They required magical feats the human would never be able to accomplish herself, but with time, she was able to coach a real Pandorian to succeed.

As Ydris’ strength grew, it did not go unnoticed by his people. It most certainly did not get past Garnok’s obedient servants. Zee suddenly found herself sniffing out spies during Elaina’s visits, and keeping a listening ear at all times even when she wasn’t present. If Garnok ever discovered her, she would not escape Pandoria alive. 

In his happiness, Ydris was unaware of such threats. When he was with her, somehow the daily gloom of Pandorian life faded away into near nonexistence. He danced with her among Pandorian fireflies, singing a song from his people then hearing one of hers. She told him her favorite, a song about strangers in paradise. “It reminds me of us, you know? I came here by accident, to a beautiful paradise, and among it all was you. A stranger.”

“I’m not a stranger anymore, I do hope,” Ydris answered with a smile, taking her hand and squeezing it.

She laughed, “Certainly not! You’re my best friend. I do like my friends on Earth, but none of them compare to you. I feel like I can tell you anything, you know?” 

He nodded earnestly, “I feel the same. It is difficult here sometimes, my dear. My people have not been happy for a long time. Then one day, you appeared, and you’ve brought me so much joy that I almost dare to hope. I hope one day Pandoria is as beautiful as you think it is.” 

Elaina met his gaze, hazel eyes burning straight through him. “It is beautiful, Ydris. I don’t know how, but we’ll find a way to save it. If we can destroy that monster, somehow.” 

He hushed her, “There’s no destroying him, sweetling. Don’t speak too loudly of it, Zee has warned me that he knows something isn’t right. We do our best to hide, but how can we ever be sure we’re not being watched?”

Rising, he reached down and pulled the girl to her feet beside him. “Come on; let’s get you back to the portal.” Together, they set off in the direction of the rift. Little did they know, it wouldn’t be long until she traveled through the portal for the last time.


	2. Chapter 2

Despite their best efforts to keep the secret, whispers of Ydris’ affair became too loud. The first warning came by way of an attack on Ydris’ village one spontaneous evening. Both his parents were killed in the chaos, along with many others he had grown up knowing his entire life. When Elaina arrived in the aftermath, she held him as he sobbed, in grief over the loss of his family, but mostly in _fear_. He knew the girl would be Garnok’s next target; he wanted to tell her never to return, to protect her.

Yet he couldn’t bear the thought of life without her. Without his parents, Elaina and Zee were all he had left. Each time she left through the portal, he felt like he could finally breathe a sigh of relief for a moment. The rest of the time, he felt as though he were drowning in his fear of that monster taking her. However, he refused to stop her from coming, and she insisted on supporting him and his world. 

Deny it as he did, there was no stopping the inevitable. On a quiet afternoon, deep in the jungle, Garnok’s tentacles broke the peaceful silence. Ydris stood before Elaina, magic crackling at his fingers as Zee rushed to pick up the girl. “Run, to the portal! He won’t be able to find you on Earth!”

Elaina pulled herself onto the mare’s back, but before they could even take a step, a tentacle smashed into Zee, knocking her to the ground and throwing the girl straight into the monster’s grasp. Ydris leapt onto one of the tentacles, yet even at his fullest strength, his magic was not enough to overcome Garnok. He too, was knocked to the ground alongside his fallen steed.

Zee stood shakily, standing over Ydris protectively. Her purple markings began to glow blindingly bright, as the mare created a barrier strong enough to keep Garnok away. The monster attempted only once or twice to break through, but when he failed, he disappeared. The Pandorian was a waste of his time; the human girl was whom he’d really wanted.

Ydris moaned softly, sitting up slowly as Zee stepped away from him. Her markings returned to normal, perhaps even a little duller than normal. As the mare lowered her nose to check on her companion, he hugged her head tightly, pressing his forehead to hers. “I failed Zee, he’s got her. She’ll never go home to her horses, to her family, or her friends. She’ll never see her gardens again, she’s too young,” he sobbed, hardly able to catch his breath as the words tumbled out.

His horse allowed the tears, Zee was afraid for the girl too. Without Ydris at her side, Elaina would now succumb to the energy of the world itself. Yet Zee couldn’t bring herself to mention this to Ydris, hoping he already knew. He wiped the tears from his face with the back of his sleeve, before pushing himself to his feet. “Come on Zee, we have to find her! Perhaps we won’t be too late! There may be a chance!”

He turned towards the village, running as fast as his legs could carry him, Zee right at his side. Many of the other Pandorians were already waiting for him, news having spread quickly that a human was captured in their realm. He stopped as he neared the center of town, where a crowd had gathered to hear the news. The mortal girl would be executed at dawn, if she were still alive. One night in Pandoria didn’t normally kill a human, so Ydris knew he had time. Just, not very much.

Next, he visited his home, which was a hollow shell of a house since his parents had died. He picked up the few possessions he owned, most of them the little trinkets from his beloved, stuffing them into a plain, well-worn satchel he could wear underneath his coat.

Once he’d packed the last small item, he paused for a moment, listening around the house. He had a feeling, deep in the pit of his gut; he would never return here. Yet he dared to hope, just a little, that his gut was wrong. Elaina loved Pandoria, and so had he once, almost too distantly for him to remember.

In the house, he remembered his parents for a moment. Despite the dark times, his mother had always tried to keep him optimistic. She always encouraged him to play outside, among the beautiful landscape of their home. She’d always insisted getting the water from the spring was good for him, and as he looked into the corner and noticed the heavy bucket, he felt his heart break.

There was nothing left in Pandoria anymore. Elaina was right; he needed to go to Earth. This place only held painful memories of what their world might have been, once, long before he was born. He loved Pandoria; he wanted it to be the peaceful paradise his love dreamed of when she visited. She had helped him discover magic he’d never known before, yet he still wasn’t strong enough to save the place she loved. Not yet.

Standing at last, he walked out the door and didn’t look back. Zee was waiting outside for him, and she walked alongside him as they headed towards the caverns that would lead to Garnok’s prison island. They walked in silence, yet the mare could sense the heaviness in her companion’s heart, and she worried for him.

It was difficult to slip past the shadow seekers guarding the entrance; Garnok’s dark energy heightened their abilities to sense intruders. However, Ydris had a few tricks of his own up his sleeve. As they neared the door, he turned to the mare and nodded. With Zee to create a distraction, he made his way inside the cold prison.

It didn’t take long to track her down, or use his magic to unlock the door. He stepped into her cell, waiting for his eyes to adjust to the darkened room. He shivered; the unfamiliar feeling was something that frightened the young man. Pandoria was always wrapped in warmth and light, his entire life he had never known how it felt to be cold.

There was a small window, and that is where she stood. The vision of her standing there, chained to the wall in a tattered white dress, haunted Ydris more than any other. For even in her darkest moment, trembling from cold and hunger and _fear_ , her delicate beauty was more exquisite than the brightest Pandorian star.

Elaina turned to him, and he could see a glimmer of joy in her gaze. “You came,” she finally said, her voice weak and hardly above a whisper. He approached her slowly, his heart pounding against his ribcage, yet paused before he reached her. If he touched her, perhaps she would shatter, for she had never looked so fragile.

“Of course, I couldn’t leave you here,” he replied, attempting to mask just how afraid he felt for her.

Her pale eyes were shining with unshed tears, “You must leave, but I’m glad you are here to keep me company on my final night.”

His heart was breaking, he could feel her every word like a dagger against him. “It can’t be your final night; I won’t allow that to happen. We’ll escape, together.” It was a plea; if they hurried, he was certain they could escape. Garnok would be unable to find them on Earth. His evil power was diminished there; currently unable to escape his prison beneath the dark ocean waters. He’d promised her that he would keep her safe, he’d promised.

“Do not lose your hope Ydris. It is the thing I’ve admired most about you. You may be the last Pandorian that has any faith,” she told him, reaching up to brush her fingers over his cheek. He reached up, grasping her hand in his and holding it tightly. He refused to let go, he couldn’t. He had failed her.

She continued to speak, the words painful yet important. “I always believed I would see the day justice prevailed, the day Pandoria was saved from Garnok and you never had to live in fear again. Though I will die, long before that morning comes, I’ll die still believing that day will come, after I am gone. It will come, Ydris.”

She held up her other hand, which until that moment he hadn’t realized was holding something. Her fingers uncurled, revealing a little five-leaf clover that seemed to glow in her hand like a timid flame. Ydris’ felt a lump form in his throat, a hot tear escaping his eye at the sight of it.

He closed the distance between them, and she pressed the clover into his palm. “This is the only clover of its kind in Pandoria. It will perform a miracle for you; I have given it all that remains of my magical energy, what little you taught me to find. With this clover, you will be able to escape, and bring that day of justice upon your home.”

Before Ydris could oppose, she smiled sadly at him, brushing away his tears with a gentle touch. “This is my final wish, Ydris. Take our dreams, and make them come true.”

I can’t, that’s what he wanted to say, but the words were stuck in his throat. Instead, he wrapped his arms around her tightly, burying his face in her dark hair. She returned his embrace, her grip even tighter than his own. At last, she allowed the tears to fall, and in the safety of Ydris’ embrace she wept.

He didn’t bother trying to comfort her, he knew she was afraid. Why shouldn’t she be? She was terrified to face the morning and the fate which awaited her, and he was afraid too. Yet despite her fears, she still had faith in Pandoria, that somehow it would survive once Garnok was destroyed. If she was willing to die believing in that future, then he would fight for it. 

“Ydris,” she whispered, her legs suddenly buckling beneath her. He caught her as she fell, lowering her to the ground gently and cradling her. She grimaced, burying her face against his chest as the pain ebbed away slowly. When she was able to meet his gaze again, she swallowed, each little movement becoming increasingly difficult, “I have stayed too long, Ydris. I fear I haven’t much time left, before the sickness overwhelms me. Please, you must take Zee and go.”

A sob tore its way from him, and he held her tighter. “No, it’s not fair. I won’t leave you to die like this. Come with me, and I promise, everything will be all right.” He placed his hand over her shackles, his magic humming to life beneath his fingertips. Yet Garnok’s power was too strong, and despite how he tried, they would not break open.

She was growing weaker in his arms, and he shifted his focus back to her beautiful face. “Oh my sweetling, please. Don’t leave me, I love you. You are my sun, my moon, my stars, my everything. I cannot possibly leave Pandoria without you.”

“I’ll be with you,” she insisted, her shaking hand finding its way to his chest. “I will be with you, and someday we shall see each other again. Until that time though, you must go without me. Don’t be frightened, I’m not anymore. I think I’ll fall asleep in your arms, safe and protected, and that shall be my last memory.”

Her eyelids were indeed drooping as she spoke the words, her breath heavily labored. Ydris kissed her gently, running his fingers through that beautiful dark hair. As he broke away, her head rolled against his chest, and he sang softly to her as she drifted into unconsciousness. He knew once she was asleep, she would never wake again. His world, the world she had come to love as much as he did, would kill her before Garnok even had a chance. Perhaps that was the monster’s plan the whole time.

Suddenly, he realized, everything was still. He stared down at his beloved Elaina, realizing with horror that she had breathed her last. His little dove was gone. Ydris’ tears dripped onto her forehead, and he brushed them away quickly. “Oh my love, I’m so sorry,” he hiccupped, before a painful sob tore itself from his throat. He wrapped his arms around her tightly, sobbing into her hair.

There wasn’t time to mourn, he realized shakily. He looked down at the five-leafed clover. It would open a portal to Earth; if he acted quickly enough, Garnok would not detect him. He gazed down at the girl one last time, placing a final kiss on her lips. As he laid her on the hard, frigid floor of her prison, the tears never ceased to fall.

Nothing had ever hurt like this. It felt as though he’d been shot through the heart, shredding it to bits. The pain was more than crippling, it was life ending. How could he go on without her?

Zee whinnied to him as he arrived outside the prison. He blinked in surprise; his feet had carried him away whilst he’d been lost in his sorrow. He swallowed, shaking his head and attempting to regain some sort of focus. He felt his magic pulse in his closed fist, the clover burning hot in his palm.

The shadow seekers had spotted him. He swung his arms as he conjured the magic, shooting it forward to create a portal to Earth. Zee bounded through, Ydris stumbling not far behind her, though he realized as soon as the rift was formed that it required more energy than he’d expected. He’d already felt drained from grief, to traverse the space between worlds and maintain the portal at the same time were quickly proving too much.

His mare skidded to a halt, turning back for her companion. He was stumbling along blindly, constantly falling to his knees while the portal barely held together. Zee fell to her knees beside him, nudging him with her head towards her back. He fell more than actually mounted her, but as soon as she felt his weight even on her back she rose, turning to run for their lives.

Ydris had never sat on a horse before. Pandorians considered it highly disrespectful to sit upon such majestic, intelligent creatures. Yet he trusted Zee with his life, it was no longer a matter of respect, she was trying to save their lives. He gripped her mane tightly, burying his face in it as he wept. The dark mare dug her hooves into the soil, leaping over floating stone pillars and praying Ydris could hold on just a little longer. She could feel the shadows lingering behind them, but dared not look back.

With a final effort, she leapt through the entry portal to Earth. The moment her hooves touched the grass on the other side, the rift imploded behind them. The force of the blast knocked them several feet away, throwing Zee and her rider to the ground in a useless heap. Lightning flashed above their heads, the only warning they received before it began to pour rain from the dark, seemingly unforgiving sky. 

There was silence.

Zee was the first to stir, lifting her head slowly before hefting herself onto her feet. Ydris lay not far from her, and she approached him with her head lowered. He seemed to be breathing, the horse noticed with mild relief. He’d been knocked unconscious, either from the explosion or from overuse of his magic. Perhaps both.

They had arrived in some grassy field, among the roots of an enormous old tree. The rain had quickly soaked them both through, and a frigid wind whipped around them. Zee flattened her ears, squinting against the storm. It stung her eyes, yet her magic was too exhausted to form any sort of block against it.

There did not seem to be a soul for miles around. They were completely alone, how would she find help? Her companion was in trouble! She felt panic begin to rise within her, her instincts forcing her feet to move. She pranced around Ydris as the rain continued to pelt relentlessly over them, her nose against him. He was completely oblivious to her nudges, driving her panic into near frenzy.

She whinnied shrilly over and over, pausing for a moment each time with pricked ears to listen for a reply. In the distance, she thought she heard other horses answer her cries, their voices nearly drowned out by the howling wind. They sounded different from the calls she’d known in Pandoria. They had truly arrived on Earth.

Suddenly, over the horizon, a herd of small ponies appeared. They slowed to a trot as Zee moved to stand protectively in front of her fallen companion. The lead stallion of the ponies was a handsome flaxen chestnut. He snorted at Zee, questioning her arrival, and her strange appearance.

Ydris moaned behind her, and she pawed the ground anxiously. She was worried; her friend could die out here in a strange land. The ponies nodded to her, nickering sympathetically before turning on their haunches and running away, disappearing back over the horizon in the blink of an eye.

They were alone, on Earth. Zee sniffed again at Ydris’ face, and this time his eyes fluttered open as her whiskers tickled his nose. She was frightened to see his eye had been damaged by the magic. His once purple iris was now pale and icy, a side effect Pandorians only experienced when attempting to control energies beyond their own ability.

It was rare for such a severe magical strain to occur, most Pandorians were never pushed to their physical limit, as they feared the attention of Garnok. It was too early to tell if his vision was damaged, but Zee now only had more reason to worry about her companion. They were lucky to be alive.

“Zee,” he wheezed out. “You must hide your appearance my girl, or we may not be welcome in this place. Please,” he shuddered, coughing weakly, “Be brave Zee, for both of us.”

She understood. Focusing her remaining energy, she transformed her Pandorian glow into a normal furry coat, like that of the ponies she’d just met. Her dark mane faded into silver, with a white snip upon her nose. Any trace of purple hue could only be found in her eyes. To any human, she would look like an ordinary Earthly horse.

It was just in time, for suddenly the ponies returned from over the distant hill. With them, appeared a middle-aged man, with salt and pepper hair and a grisly beard. When he noticed the other man on the ground, he picked up his pace, running over to kneel by his side. “Sir? Sir? Are you ok?”

Ydris had fallen unconscious once more. Zee nickered anxiously to the strange old man, who smiled gently at her despite the rain, “Don’t worry pretty girl, we’ll take him back to my cottage and let him rest. He’ll be back on his feet in no time.”

He lifted Ydris up with relative ease, placing him back on Zee before leading the mare towards his home. Ydris felt the last of his tears trickle down his cheeks and splash into his horse’s new mane. Zee walked steadily on, determined to help her friend. His heart was broken; a horse has the ability to sense that sort of thing. She would stay by his side, in this foreign land, and together they’d live through it.

Yet the Pandorian seemed unable to see that living without Elaina was a possibility. It would take him years to accept it. As he laid lifeless over Zee’s back, riding towards an uncertain future, he was too exhausted to feel anything but the overwhelming grief. It crashed against him harder than the ocean tide against the nearby shore. It was drowning him. He would never wake again, despite this mortal’s kindness; Ydris would die of a broken heart. Wouldn’t he?

He wouldn’t. Somehow, he continued to live after that terrible night. His recovery did take a substantial bit of time. For the first few days, he never stirred into consciousness. Zee stood at the cottage window, her eyes never leaving her sick companion. The man who was helping them was very kind hermit; he came out three times a day to feed her and some other ponies that lived on his small farm.

Zee was afraid for Ydris. Sometimes in the night, he would have a nightmare. The hermit would come to the window and open it, allowing the mare to stick her head and call to him. Somehow, Zee managed to soothe her companion each time. She waited patiently for him, recovering her own magical strength in the process.

The first day Ydris blinked to life, Zee was the first one he saw. The mare nickered softly to him, and he reached a shaky hand towards her face. He wanted to call her, she could tell, yet he had no voice to do so. She pressed into his hand, telling him she was there and they were safe. The corners of his mouth twitched into the smallest smile, as he blinked against the exhaustion already trying to pull him back to sleep.

When the hermit noticed Ydris was awake, he insisted the poor boy try to eat and drink something. The Pandorian wanted to refuse this stranger, yet in his exhausted haze, he couldn’t bring himself to do so. With Zee nickering encouragingly at him from outside the window, he began to survive and regain his strength.

The hermit asked few questions, something Ydris was overwhelmingly grateful for. As the weeks passed, he began to take small walks with Zee. At first, he couldn’t go far, just around the farm at first to see the ponies. Before long and with his trusty mare at his side, he was able to walk down the beach and back. 

One day, feeling particularly strong and determined, he packed a lunch and heading back up the hill and along the cliffs. Zee stayed beside him, stopping each time he needed a pause to catch his breath. She offered him a ride many times but he shook his head, refusing to admit he was tired. At last, a small village appeared in the distance, and Zee realized with a heavy sadness why they had come.

Ydris sat on the edge of a cliff, looking out over the stable where he knew Elaina had kept her own horse. He remembered how she’d told him about standing in front of the barn in the early morning, staring up at these very cliffs where he now sat, looking for the wild ponies. The clover had dropped them here on South Hoof, because Elaina had picked it from beneath the ancient tree when she was finally able to visit. On his way back to the cottage from that journey, he saw the wild ponies in the distance for the first time, and he cried.

At last, he determined he was strong enough to leave this island entirely. He didn’t feel safe being so close to where his portal had been. What if Garnok sensed him after all? He couldn’t take that sort of risk, not with Zee. She was all he had left in the world; after everything she’d done to save them, he had to protect her at all costs. Zee felt the same about her heartbroken companion. The hermit helped them catch a ship to Europe, and after thanking the kind man profusely, they set off to start Ydris’ new Earthly life.

Most of his time in those early years was spent in a place called France. The countryside was quite beautiful and peaceful. He traveled town to town with Zee, performing small feats of magic to impress the local humans. He picked up many of the mannerisms and phrases of the people, trying to blend in with the humans as best he could. Aside from his simple tricks, he never used powerful magic in fear of being found by Garnok. He had to go about his life the hard way.

With the money he earned performing, he was able to buy a wagon from a band of gypsies. He accumulated a few humble possessions during their travels across Europe, and using his magic, brought a puppet to life to care for them. Xin joined their group to help on their journey, and to add to their street performances. Ydris had to admit he had more personality than he’d anticipated, and Xin quickly earned a place as an equal part of their tiny family.

Once he could afford a circus tent, a large one with bleachers and lights, he decided he could return to Jorvik. He found a small piece of land near a pretty castle, far from where he’d first arrived. With his little group, he began to set up camp in their new home. He sent Zee to get a final box from the dock behind Moorland, while he created a magical barrier to hide their presence from Garnok. His strength had grown from lack of use, and he’d brought some of the important books he’d once studied with Elaina. He would protect his family this time.

When the mare returned, she was not alone.

She nearly took his breath away as she stopped her horse before him. It were as though he were staring at _her_ , alive and well. This girl was smaller though, a little darker skinned, yet there was something about her. It only took a moment to know it was her eyes. The girl had Elaina’s hazel eyes. They were bright and curious, just like hers had been that first day they met. At once, he wanted to see the girl smile. He knew it would be like a ray of sunshine if it were anything like _hers_ , and oh, it was.

This girl appeared at his circus, and she was special. As she helped him set up his circus of dreams, he could feel it deep in his heart. Yet it was too soon to know. Though the girl seemed completely unaware, there was a strong magical energy humming around her. It was a concern; perhaps they would be on opposing sides one day, when his real mission became clear to her. It would not be a popular idea amongst the humans to take Garnok back from Pandoria. He was sure of that. They would try to use this mortal’s abilities against him.

Yet he wanted to hope again, for the first time since losing his dear Elaina. This mortal was a good soul, he could simply tell. Pure and innocent, destined for something outstanding. As he watched her ride away from his newly minted circus, he prayed to the ancient Pandorian spirits he would see her again. His newfound home would always be open to her, no matter what tried to divide them.

For the second time in his life, he and Zee were left waiting. This time though, they were in the same world together. This time, Ydris would keep his promise to protect her and Pandoria. They would have everything he could only dream of before, and so he waited. He knew it would be worth waiting, somehow he knew, because of her eyes. The girl had Elaina’s hazel eyes.


End file.
